Coincidentally, another script I was working on came across the attached MXD that I downloaded and it crashed. When I ran the code earlier, it was in the interactive Python window. When I ran the code again through a stand-alone interactive Python session, it crashed. Also, I tried to run MXD Doctor on it, and it crashed MXD Doctor. I tried running ArcGIS Document Defragmenter, and it opens it but just hangs.
I have run into this before, i.e., where an MXD will open in ArcMap but basically crashes when trying to open it any other way. The file is definitely corrupt, although it is frustrating because finding out why or fixing it appears to be impossible.
It is frustrating, for sure, when code finds these kinds of MXDs because error trapping doesn't work so everything bombs. I guess flagging it and avoiding it are the best you can hope for at this point.